Bleach: The Silent Shinigami
by MufcChimp
Summary: This will be an anthology of sorts. Numerous story arcs which will delve into the backstory of my Bleach OC, Shizuka Baisotei. It will also likely feature other OCs belonging to myself and friends, whilst staying as canon as possible.
1. Graduation

**I - Graduation**

A bead of sweat began to slowly trickle down the side of Shizuka's face as she held the letter in her hands. The seal of the Shinō Academy was printed on the envelope. She knew exactly what was inside. She had been training to become a Shinigami and now she would finally find out if she was good enough. Sitting down at a table in her father's house, Shizuka placed the envelope down for a second before running both her hands through her luscious green hair. She began tying it into a pony-tail.

"Geez. You really must be nervous. You hate pony-tails!" A voice came from the doorway. Shizuka's father, Keisuke Baisotei, was a fairly burly figure but his voice contained nothing but comfort. He laughed casually before continuing. "Come on Shizuka, you know you as well as I do that you've passed. You even got to train with an ex-Captain." He smiled at his daughter lovingly and then made his way into the next room, sipping his morning cup of coffee.

Shizuka nodded confidently and changed her hair back to it's normal style. Her auburn eyes were determined now. Without any further hesitation, she ripped open the enveloped as her eyes scanned quickly through the letter. A few seconds later and her eyes widened as she tried to hold tears back.

"I'm so proud of you sweetie."

Shizuka jumped slightly to turn around and see her father again. She wondered how he got there so quick but soon forgot about it and gave him a hug. She closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to show too much emotion. She let go and wiped her face with the back of her hand quickly.

"Well, aren't you gonna say something?" Her dad smiled and gestured his hand out. His hazel eyes were so kind, Shizuka tried not to look into them. "Not even a '_Woo!_' or a '_Yippee!_'? Haha!" He joked, causing a wry smile to appear on Shizuka's face. But only for a second, as she had something to say.

"Do you...do you think Mom would be proud of me?" She bowed her head, she wasn't sure whether this was an apologetic bow or simply a way to hide her tears. Her dad walked over before kneeling down in front of her. He placed two of his fingers under Shizuka's chin and raised her head slowly. He wiped her eyes with his other hand and smiled.

"Your mother _is_ proud of you. She always will be." He wiped Shizuka's hair to the side of her face. "She just wants you to be happy. So don't cry sweetie. Smile, like she would want you to." Her dad gave her another hug before giving Shizuka some space and leaving the room.

Shizuka clenched the letter in her right hand and looked across the room. She stared at a picture which sat on the mantlepiece.

"I did it Mom...I did it."

* * *

><p>The graduation ceremony was glorious and extravagent. Decorations lay everywhere and confetti filled the skies. There was only one part of the day that Shizuka looked forward to though. Squad Designation. Today she would find out which of the 13 Court Guard Squads she would be placed into. The names were called out in alphabetical order so, luckily, she didn't have to wait too long.<p>

"Baisotei, Shizuka?" The moderator's voice bellowed out, he didn't look like a very high ranking Shinigami. Shizuka stepped forward, almost silent with her footsteps. The Shinigami held his arms out in an unsure manner. "Well? Are you Baisotei?" Shizuka didn't answer, she simply nodded and kept her head low. "Humph, not much of a talker huh? Not sure we have a Squad for people who are unable to talk." As the Shinigami carried on talking, Shizuka grew impatient. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. She wasn't even listening to him anymore, it was just noise coming out of his mouth. "And another thing! You-" He was interrupted as Shizuka snatched the papers from his hand and walked off. "Hey! Get back here! Pfft, you won't last even a week!"

She had caused a scene and most of the other students and Shinigami present had watched what had just happened. Shizuka found somewhere quiet and secluded to sit so she could read in peace. She smiled when she saw she had been placed into Squad 2. This Squad was closely linked to The Onmitsukidō, another faction which she hoped to make her way in to. Her dad wandered over, he thought it was best to leave Shizuka alone for a bit after what happened earlier. He decided not to mention it.

"So, which squad are you in?" He put his hand out, asking for the papers. Shizuka handed them over whilst answering.

"Squad 2. The Stealth Operations Squad." There was a hint of joy in her voice as she smiled at her dad.

"Hey! A smile! That's what I like to see! And Squad 2 was the one you wanted right?" He said as he handed back the papers. "I guess she really stayed true to her word..." He said in a quiter tone as he looked away slightly.

"Huh? What was that?" Shizuka asked.

"Oh, erm. Nothing. I'm just so happy for you." He placed his right hand on the back of his head and laughed. "I guess you should make your way to your barracks then. Don't forget to visit me, 'kay?"

"I'll visit once a week." Shizuka really didn't like the idea of moving out of her father's house but she stayed strong. She didn't want her father to worry too much. "I gotta get going Dad." They hugged before both going their separate ways.

* * *

><p>The Squad 2 barracks looked very posh and fancy to Shizuka. The idea of living here was beginning to grow on her. The gates to the main accommodation building were huge and looked very heavy. They opened as she approached and she was greeted by a Shinigami. His clothes were different to the Shinigami she had the incident with earlier.<p>

"Welcome to Squad 2. I'm Lieutenant Marechiyo Ōmaeda. Come on in and meet your other squad members!" He closed the door behind her.

It was clear who were new, recent additions to the squad. They were all excited and talking to each other in anticipation. Shizuka didn't really recognise any of them though, she only spoke to a few people whilst in the academy. She walked through the crowds of people and sat down on a small bench in the corner. The room became much quieter and she could hear what the odd voices were saying among the gasps of others.

"It's her..."

"She was the one from earlier!"

"It's the silent Shinigami!"

Shizuka tried to ignore them. She was well aware that they were talking about her but she didn't want to think about it. The volume level in the room began to rise again as everyone became settled again. Shizuka rested her chin on her first and let out a disgruntled sigh. Then she noticed a person standing before her. She looked like a new graduate from the academy too, she had pretty short, blonde hair with candy pink bangs framing her face. Her eyes were a steel gray and they looked large and childish.

"H-Hi. You're new too right? M-my name is Ikeda, Akio Ikeda." Her voice was soft and petite, it matched her body shape perfectly. "What's your name?"

Shizuka wasn't used to people approaching her. She certainly wasn't expecting anyone to after hearing what they were saying moments ago. She was a reserved character but she still liked to have a few friends. Shizuka figured this girl might be her only chance at making any.

"Baisotei. I'm Shizuka Baisotei."

"Great! Nice to meet you! Mind if I sit here?" Akio had completely changed. Suddenly she was energetic and loud. Shizuka sat almost in disbelief. _Why was this girl so nervous before? Am I really that intimidating?_ Shizuka was about to ask her these questions but she didn't get the chance as a new figure stood before them. It was another woman, with black hair and much different clothing to what Shizuka had seen so far today.

"I'm Captain of Squad 2 and Commander of The Onmitsukidō" Her voice was stern and unforgiving.

Akio fell to her knees and bowed her head. "It's an honour to meet you, Captain!"

Shizuka wasn't too sure how to react. She didn't know if she was supposed to do the same as her new friend. Her Captain continued before she could decide what to do.

"I see you two have become acquainted with each other. Good. Tomorrow you two will go out on your first mission as Squad 2 Shinigami. Oh, and believe me. I won't make it easy."

Shizuka was left speechless as her Captain walked on.


	2. Torn Apart

**II - Torn Apart**

"Wow! Our first mission! I can't wait!" Akio shouted loudly in the early morning. She and Shizuka were still in their sleeping quarters, although Shizuka hadn't slept much the night before. She pulled herself out of bed and rubbed her tired eyes. Akio was already well awake, she had her Squad 2 Shinigami outfit on and jumped frantically on her bed. Shizuka stared at her for a brief moment. _She really is a kid._ Despite what Shizuka thought of Akio, there was something about the blonde girl. Shizuka felt comfortable around her.

"Well, come on! Put on your kosode!" Akio lept over to Shizuka to help her complete her attire.

"Thanks." Shizuka whispered.

"You should really speak more, Shizuka!" She lept back onto her bed. "And don't use the excuse of '_I'm not a morning person_'! This is the best part of the day!" Her jumping about had messed up her hair but she didn't seem to care. Shizuka was somewhat envious of her care-free attitude; she had always over-thought everything.

"Akio, let's go get some breakfast."

"Okay! Race ya!" She sprinted away. Shizuka laughed gently and walked after her.

* * *

><p>In the afternoon, all Squad 2 members were ordered to assemble just outside of the barracks. It was here that they would be given their first mission. As a way to encourage teamwork and to learn more about their fellow squad members, they were ordered to pair up. Akio never left Shizuka's side following breakfast so she didn't even bother asking if the energetic girl would like to be her partner. The Captain, who Shizuka had learned was named Suì-Fēng, and her Lieutenant made their way around the new Shinigami and briefed them on the mission they would be taking later that night.<p>

The hot sun bore down on them both as they waited. Shizuka wasn't a huge fan of heat and was thinking of suggesting that they move to a shadier spot. Just as she opened her mouth however, Captain Suì-Fēng approached them. The expression on her face was cold and empty, her eyes stared right through Shizuka. Not wanting to embarrass herself this time, Shizuka made sure to drop to her knee before her superior. Akio followed suit and they spoke together.

"What are your orders for us, Captain?" Just saying these words together with Akio made Shizuka realise how serious things were now. She was a _real_ Shinigami.

"If it were up to me, you would be doing missions separately. Unfortunately, the Captain Commander disagrees." Her words were delivered with disappointment. She sighed and continued. "For you two..." She browsed through a file and ran her finger down one of the pages. "Ah, here we go. There have been a few reports of a man impersonating a Shinigami in Rukongai District 76. People have claimed that the man has committed crimes of burgulary and assault." Shizuka's heart was pounding as she heard the rest of her Captain's orders. "I want you two to patrol the area tonight and, if you can identify him, capture him. You are _not_ authorised to attack in such a heavily crowded area. This is a non-combat mission." She snapped her file shut and placed her hands on her hips. "Is that clear?"

"Yes Captain!" They both exclaimed.

"Good. Don't disappoint me." The Captain walked on to the next pair.

Shizuka looked over at Akio. The blonde girl had her fists clenched and held in front of her mouth. Suddenly she lept into the air and raised her arms up wildly.

"Oh my god! Can you believe this? WOW! I'm so excited Shizuka!" She rambled on as Shizuka smiled. She was worried and nervous about the mission but almost as excited as her friend. She zoned back in to what Akio was saying just as the blonde girl grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"This is going to be great! My first mission with my new best friend!"

Shizuka hugged her back, the words of her Captain were still ringing in her ears.

* * *

><p>The night had arrived and the time had finally come. Shizuka and Akio made their way towards District 76 in the dark of the night. This was Shizuka's favourite part of the day.<p>

"I really do love the silence and serenity that comes with nightfall." She said to her friend.

"You must be nocturnal!" She joked. "I hate the night. I think it's creepy..." She looked back and Shizuka and smiled. "But I like being with you and if nighttime makes you more talkative then I'm okay with it!"

"Thanks, I guess!" Shizuka giggled and shook her head. "I'm glad you're out here with me too. To be honest, you're not really the kind of person I would normally make friends with, no offence."

"None taken" Akio smiled.

"It's just that-"

"It's okay, I get it Shizuka. You're a quiet person and I'm...well let's just say, I'm not so quiet! That's why I was drawn to you. With my personality, I always end up being with other loud people. Sometimes its just nice to have someone to talk to who will actually listen to me."

"Thank you Akio."

"For what?"

"For coming over and talking to me yesterday. I doubt anyone else will try and make friends with me. I guess I made-" Shizuka stopped as she glanced over at her friend and looked her over. "Hey...Akio, where is your Zanpakuto?" The blonde girl looked down at herself before replying.

"Oh...I must have left it back at the barracks!" Her tone was slightly worried. "Well it's a non-combat mission right? So I shouldn't need it. Please don't tell the Captain!" She plead.

"Of course I won't." Shizuka answered. "Just make sure you don't forget next time. Right, we're almost here."

* * *

><p>They reached their destination and began their patrol. The area was full of narrow streets and alleyways. It was late in the night but there were still plenty of people walking around. Many of them were drunk and stumbling around, others were simply playing board games on the side of the street. They kept lookout from the tops of the buildings at first. Shizuka wanted to make sure she had a good idea of the layout.<p>

Still, they couldn't see anyone else wearing anything that even resembled Shinigami clothing. They began searching each street from the ground and asking the locals if they had spotted anything unusual. Again, they had no luck. Many of the people were too intoxicated to reply sensibly and the others didn't seem to have even heard about a Shinigami impersonator. As time went on, both Shizuka and Akio began to get fed up. They had searched nearly every street and alleyway but still had nothing to report. That's when they heard a woman's faint scream off in the distance. Shizuka and Akio wasted no time heading towards the noise. As they reached the street, they noticed how much of a state it was in. Stands of merchandise had been knocked over and a couple of people were lying on the floor, they looked like they had been attacked.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Akio asked one of the assaulted individuals as Shizuka helped the other one onto their feet.

"I-it was him. He's was dressed like you! He ran down that alleyway there!" The man pointed off to where the attacker had escaped.

"Don't worry, we'll find him. We'll send for medical help too." Shizuka responded. She grabbed Akio's arm and dragged her towards the alleyway. "Come on! This way!"

It was dark and narrow. The air was damp and an unpleasant smell lingered. But it was empty. They alleyway opened up onto another street, it must have been one of the few that they hadn't got around to checking out properly yet. To their surprise, everyone seemed calm. There was no screaming, no mess, infact there were only a few people even on the street. Shizuka stopped in confusion as she tried to figure things out. As she thought things through, Akio walked up to a person on the street. He was moving barrels into an old shed and looked quite overweight. Shizuka looked at him as Akio approached. Just as Akio went to grab his shoulder, Shizuka noticed something glimmer from undernearth the man's clothing.

"Excuse me Sir, could you-"

"Akio wait!" Shizuka shouted. "Get ba-"

Shizuka stopped as she saw a sword come through the back of her friend. The man removed his top layer of clothing to reveal his left hand holding the hilt of his sword. He was wearing old, tatty Shinigami clothing. It was him.

"Ha. I figured they would send someone after me eventually." He laughed. "Although you two must be pretty new! This idiot didn't even have her Zanpakuto!" He removed his sword and Shizuka watched as Akio collapsed into a heap on the floor. "Listen Lady" The man looked back at Shizuka. "I'll let you go if you just leave now. You can even tell your Captain what happened."

Shizuka didn't know how to respond. She was still looking at her friend's lifeless body. Her eyes were welling up. "A-Akio..."

"Hey, are you listening to me? I think I'm being pretty generous." The guy continued in a comedic tone. "I'm gonna take your silence as a yes. Besides, I doubt you're much of a threat, haha!" He began to walk off and Shizuka ran over to her friend.

"Akio! Akio?" She lifted up the blonde girl's head and rested it on her knee. Akio half opened her eyes.

"Shizuka...I'm sorry..." She coughed.

"No! Don't be sorry! I'm going to get help, you'll be okay!"

"This was...our first mission. And now...because...because of me, we've failed. I'm sor-..." Akio stopped talking. Her entire body went limp in Shizuka's hands.

"No...no...Akio, no!" Shizuka ran her hand over her friend's face and rolled her eyelids down properly. "I'll see you again. We _will_ meet again someday." Tears streamed from Shizuka's face and dripped onto Akio's body as she laid her down softly.

Shizuka's sorrow soon manifested into anger. She turned her head in the direction of the killer, he was almost out of sight. "HEY!" Shizuka shouted at the top of her voice. The guy stopped but continued facing away. "I can't let you just walk off after killing my best friend." Shizuka explained. The man dropped his head and laughed before slowly turning around.

"Oh? And what are you-" His words were cut off as a huge slash opened across his chest. He turned his head to see Shizuka now behind him and facing away. His body hit the ground hard before bursting into what looked like particles of light. They drifted up and faded into the night sky. Shizuka looked down the street to see the same was happening to Akio's body. She wiped her face and placed her sword back into it's sheeth.

"Baisotei! What do you think you're doing? What happened?" A voice came from behind. Shizuka recognised it instantly, it was Captain Suì-Fēng.

"You don't need to worry about that impersonator anymore Captain." She replied. The Captain saw the blood on her clothing and dripping through her sheeth.

"I said this was a non-combat mission! Where is your friend, Ikeda?"

Shizuka didn't have to answer as Captain Suì-Fēng saw the last of the spirit particles disappear. She could tell from the distance between them in the sky that two people had died. Shizuka was expecting more sympathy than what she received.

"You directly disobeyed my orders. You will be disciplined! Ōmaeda, take her to the holding cells."

Despite being in some shock, Shizuka didn't argue back. She gave the Lieutenant her weapon and held her hands behind her back as she was escorted back to the barracks.

* * *

><p>The cell Shizuka was placed in was cold. There was a tiny, square window which let in a small amount of moonlight. She stood up and looked outside, up at the sky, a tear slowly fell down the side of her face.<p>

"Goodnight, Akio." She whispered.


	3. Here To Stay

**III - Here To Stay**

It was the morning after Shizuka and Akio's first mission. Shizuka hadn't slept at all. Thoughts of her friend were still running through her mind. She kept thinking of the short time they had together. There weren't that many memories but they were still fond memories. She had stopped crying but she was still upset and wanted to get out of her cell. She paced around her bed, waiting for something to happen. Eventually her Captain came to see her.

"Baisotei, I need to ask you something." She started. "Obviously two people were killed last night. And judging from their spirit particles in the air, I can assume that they both died at roughly the same time."

Shizuka wasn't sure what her Captain was trying to get at.

"Just ask me the question." She muttered.

"There was a fair distance between the bodies. I know that you would have been with your friend until her very last moments so I'm intrigued. How could you get over to the other guy and kill him with one strike so quickly?"

Shizuka's eyes opened wide. The alert showed on her face as her Captain continued.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you've learned Shunpo. We don't start teaching that to new graduates for quite some time so tell me, who taught you?"

"What's wrong with you?" Shizuka shouted. "My friend, one of _your_ squad members died last night and you're asking me about some crazy theory you have?" She slammed her hands against the cell bars and grabbed them tight.

"So what, you want to give up now?" Her Captain laughed. "Go right ahead. This is exactly why I don't like too much closeness between squad members. It leads to them being too comfortable around each other which leads to carelessness and mistakes on the battlefield. If you two weren't such good chums then maybe-"

"DON'T even say it." Shizuka snapped. "Don't try and put Akio's death on my head just because we got along well." She dipped her head. "Besides, she's not gone. I'll always remember her and we will meet again. I _know_ we will." She looked back up with a vicious glare in her eyes. "Now I'm done talking to you. Let me out of here."

"Fine." Her Captain replied. Shizuka was somewhat surprised at her reaction, it was like she didn't care at all that she had just snapped at her. Suì-Fēng began to walk out but turned her head back as she reached the door. "You're going to train one-on-one with me tonight. Oh, and I _will_ find out who taught you the Shunpo technique." She walked out and around the corner. Shizuka could just hear her voice echo down the hallway. "Ōmaeda, release her." The large Lieutenant entered and unlocked the cell. Shizuka ran out without saying a word, she had to see her father.

* * *

><p>The door to Shizuka's father's house flew open as she entered. She was upset and angry, she had only her father to come talk to when she felt like this.<p>

"Dad?" She yelled. Shizuka looked around in the front room and the kitchen. She ran upstairs to see if maybe he was asleep. She couldn't think where else in the house he might be until she heard his voice.

"We're out here, Sweetie. Out back."

Shizuka put her palm to her face and shook her head. She laughed as she spoke to herself.

"Outside, the one place I didn't think of. I must really be stressed." She stopped and slowed down as she got halfway down the stairs. "Wait..."_We_'_re_ out here." is what he said, who else could be here?" She carried on and opened the back door. "Dad, who's-" Shizuka gasped as she saw who was standing with her father.

"It's good to have you back!" Her dad exclaimed. "I didn't think you would be back so soon but it's a pleasant surprise! Oh, Miss Yoruichi decided to drop by and see how you were getting on." He smiled politely at Shizuka as she came closer.

"Yoruichi...do...do you two know each other?" Shizuka asked.

"Haha, us two?" Keisuke laughed. "Of course not, she just wanted to see how you were doing, like I said!"

"But...you didn't know I was coming here." Shizuka replied. Her father stuttered for an answer before Yoruichi spoke for him.

"I wanted to know how the graduation was and which squad you got into, that's all. But since you're here, how's your first few days been?" She shot a kind smile at Shizuka but the younger Shinigami didn't feel like smiling back.

Shizuka explained what had happened. Her graduation, her mission with Akio and the conversation she had with her Captain earlier.

"She wants to know who I learnt the Shunpo technique from." Shizuka looked over to Yoruichi and saw a worried face. "Don't worry, I didn't tell her."

"Thank you." Replied Yoruichi. "I'm not exactly popular with the 13 Court Guard Squads. I'm hoping they will forget about me for now so you can't mention my name. In time, I'll show my face again, when I need to."

"What did you do?" Shizuka asked.

Yoruichi sighed. "This isn't the time to get into that. I'm sorry. So Suì-Fēng wants to train with you alone tonight? Be careful, I doubt she'll hold back."

"I know. She probably justs wants to beat me until I tell her about the Shunpo. Well I'm not going to give into her." Shizuka stood up. "Well, I should probably get going. I need to get ready."

Yoruichi and her father both nodded in agreement. "Good luck, Sweetie. Look after yourself." Shizuka gave her father a hug before opening the front door.

"Shizuka." She looked back to see Yoruichi behind her. "I want to continue teaching you. You've got a lot of potential but you're still maturing. Don't do anything stupid tonight." She grabbed Shizuka's shoulders. "You know what I'm referring to."

Shizuka nodded and left.

* * *

><p>Shizuka had made her way to where her Captain ordered her to meet. It was a nice, open clearing. Perfect for fighting. The air was cold and the moon provided the little light there was.<p>

"Thanks for showing up."

Shizuka turned around, her Captain stood on the opposite side of the courtyard.

"Well, shall we?" Suì-Fēng drew her sword.

"You said training. I thought we would be using wooden swords." Shizuka yelled.

"No you didn't. Now come on. Show me what you can do."

Shizuka drew her sword. It glided out of her dark green sheeth effortlessly. The weight of her Zanpakuto was perfect for her, it's rigid white hilt felt comfortable in her hands.

"You not gonna make a move?" Her Captain asked. "Fine, here I come."

Suì-Fēng disappeared from Shizuka's sight, she was using the same technique but Shizuka could tell her Captain was much faster. A slash appeared on her leg as she just caught a glimpse of Suì-Fēng's hair moving by.

"Come on. You've gotta be quicker than that. Again." Shizuka focussed hard and tried to track her Captain's movement but once more she lost sight of her. Two more cuts appeared on both of her arms. Shizuka dropped to one knee, she was in shock. Her Captain appeared right in front of her.

"Guess you aren't as special as I thought. No wonder you couldn't protect-"

Suì-Fēng was suddenly forced to block and push away Shizuka's sword. Shizuka came at her again, swinging furiously but her Captain saw her movements with ease. She talked as she continued blocking her attacks.

"You're too predictable. You attack with nothing but rage. You need strategy. Analyse your opponent like I'm doing now. Once you've figured out your opponents offence, you can counter it."

Shizuka swung once more but her sword missed by a distance as Suì-Fēng sidestepped the attack. Her sword seemed to move in slow motion as it came crashing down across Shizuka's shoulder and chest. She went back onto one knee as blood poured out onto the floor. Her breathing was heavy but she didn't feel like giving up.

"When are you going to learn?" Her Captain asked but then Shizuka left her vision. She laughed. "Not bad but I know where you will attack." Suì-Fēng managed to see Shizuka just as she was in front, she swung her sword down hard but Shizuka disappeared once more. She gasped as Shizuka appeared behind her, slashing down and across her spine. Suì-Fēng laughed again as she stood up straight and took her stance.

"You think you're quicker than me? You think you're _better_ than me?"

Shizuka wasn't fased. Her facial expression seemed like it was set in stone. Nothing could break her concentration. A small smirk appeared on her Captain's face.

"Okay then. Let's see how you deal with this."

Shizuka stood firm, she could see her Captain's moves. There was a pattern to them and Shizuka had figured it out. She tightened the grip on her sword and waited to attack. Then Suì-Fēng's movements got faster and faster, she circled around Shizuka and soon enough she was nothing but a blur, impossible to defend against. She raised her sword to try and attack but she quickly found herself on the floor again. Suì-Fēng had cut her a few more times, one cut had just caught the side of her forehead.

"If you hadn't had just dodged that last attack, you'd be dead. So I guess I have to congratulate you on that." Her Captain began putting her Zanpakuto away. "So is that it, or have you got another trick up your sleeve?" She asked in a mocking tone.

Shizuka slowly pulled herself back onto her feet. Her legs felt like jelly and her arms seemed to weigh double than before. Her Captain titled her head and pulled out her sword once more.

"Oh, what's this?" She asked.

Shizuka gripped her sword with both hands and held it upright. It was not an attacking stance. Her head lowered as she closed her eyes. A second later her head shot back up and she stared intensely at her Captain. Suì-Fēng gasped, Shizuka's eyes were completely white like burning hot coals. The Captain couldn't believe what she was seeing. She heard Shizuka's whisper, clear as day, from across the courtyard.

"Attou, Himitsusori."


	4. Rage of Lunacy

**IV - Rage of Lunacy**

"Attou, Himitsusori."

It was just a whisper but Shizuka's words echoed inside Suì-Fēng's ears like they were coming from inside her head. The Captain watched as a blast of pure white energy surrounded Shizuka. It was powerful; powerful enough to even force back the Captain slightly. Shizuka's Zanpakuto became covered by the strange aura and began to change shape. It looked distorted, contorted and almost hypnotic. The length had increased and two metallic green leaves dangled from a ribbon attached to the bottom of the hilt. The aura dissipated to reveal the sword's form, it was not in fact distorted, it was now fixed in a wavy shape and visibly double-edged.

The spritual energy surrounding Shizuka began to die down but not completely. Suì-Fēng wasn't sure whether the attack was over or if that was just a Shikai tranformation. She went to leap towards Shizuka in another attack but found herself firmly planted to the ground. She couldn't move her legs, she couldn't move any part of her body. She couldn't even speak. Her mind couldn't comprehend the situation as she looked on at the younger Shinigami. Then she noticed something. There were some strange rays emitting from Shizuka's sword. They spread far and wide, only just visible. It had to be the reason for the Captain's paralysis.

"Captain!" A voice boomed from the background as Lieutenant Ōmaeda jumped into the scene. He stood between the Captain and Shizuka. He could see Suì-Fēng trembling as she tried to force her body to react. "Captain, what's wrong?" But as he took a step towards her, he began stumbling around, holding his eyes to his face. "Wh-what's going on! I-I can't see! Captain, I'm blind!" He continued rubbing his eyes but to no avail. "Requesting Onmitsukidō back up!" Seconds later, hundreds of Stealth Force members leaped in from seemingly nowhere. However, as they all landed and tried to get towards their Captain, they began to lose balance, many dropped their swords and the majority eventually collapsed.

Suddenly, Shizuka felt arms grab her from behind and she was forced to the ground, unarming her simulatenously. The rays stopped as her Zanpakuto retreated to its unreleased state.

"Captain, I've got her restrained!"

Shizuka turned her head to see the person who had her pinned down. It was a woman with straight blonde hair. The moon glimmered to show her black roots and streaks too. Her eyes were bright and blue, exuberant and determined. Her body was petite which made Shizuka wonder just how she was being held down so easily.

"Thank you Matsumoto. I'm fine though now, really. Bring her to her feet." Suì-Fēng replied. "And I didn't need any help from you, you big lump." She scowled at her Lieutenant.

Shizuka was dragged to her feet. She was out of breath and covered in blood. Her eyes had returned to normal and she struggled to keep them open as her Captain continued talking.

"So that's your Shikai huh?" She smirked. "Impressive. Although clearly you don't have control over your spritiual pressure yet. Hence the varied effect of the rays your Zanpakuto was releasing." She picked up Shizuka's sword, now in it's unreleased state. "This sure is a powerful weapon. And that's why I'm going to help you control it." She placed the sword back into Shizuka's sheeth. "Every week. Same time. Same place. We're going to train until you get it right. Once you're able to do that, you could no doubt be one of the strongest members of Squad 2 _and_ the Onmitsukidō."

Shizuka could barely speak. "So I'm...I'm in the Stealth Force now?" She coughed.

"Correct. I think you're going to be a valuable asset for us. But that's enough for tonight." The Captain brushed Shizuka down a bit. "Ritsuko, take her back to the barracks and make sure she gets medical attention."

"Yes Captain!" The blonde woman replied. Shizuka had passed out.

* * *

><p>When she awoke, she saw the same blonde woman kneeling over her. Her hands hovered over her battered and bruised body.<p>

"W-what are you doing?" Shizuka asked softly.

"I'm healing you with Kidou." She replied. "I'm not the best at it so it may take some time, sorry."

"Thank you." Shizuka closed her eyes again, they were still tired.

"Don't mention it. My name is Matsumoto by the way, Ritsuko Matsumoto."

"Shizuka Baisotei, nice to meet you."

"You posses great power, Shizuka." Ritsuko smiled. "I've been here for a few years now, my sister is a Lieutenant but I've never seen anything quite like what I saw earlier."

Shizuka really didn't feel like talking, although she could feel her wounds healing.

"Matsumoto, how is she doing?" It was Suì-Fēng. "All healed?"

"Almost, Captain. I think she just needs rest."

The Captain came closer and stood over Shizuka.

"In time, you'll learn to control your power. But to do that, you need to let go. I saw what you were capable of earlier, but it was unstable because of your rage. I understand you lost a friend but you need to move on. Until you do that, you'll always be a danger to us all." The Captain turned around to exit. "I'll see you next week."

"I know she's a bit of a hardass but she's a great Captain." Ritsuko said admiringly. "If there is anyone who can teach you to focus and control your inner power, it's her. And if she can't do it...there's always Captain Zaraki." She laughed. "Oh, I don't suppose you know who that is. That's probably a good thing. Try to stay clear of that guy." She helped pull Shizuka up and walked her slowly into another room. "I've done all I can about your wounds, you just need to get some sleep now and you'll be fine." She placed Shizuka on a soft bed. Shizuka sank right into the matress, she couldn't really move but she was so comfortable that she didn't care.

"Thank you, Ritsuko." She whispered as the blonde Shinigami left the room and turned off the light.

Her mind began to wander as she drifted off to sleep._ I need to let go. I can't let Akio's death get in the way of my progress as a ...how I can just forget someone ever existed? She was my closest friend here. Maybe the Captain was right...maybe I could have saved her. Was it all my fault?_

A bright white glow shone from Shizuka's room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN - **This brings an end to this story arc.


	5. Burden of the Past

**Memory of Midnight Tragedy Arc  
><strong>

**V - Burden of the Past**

Shizuka's eyes opened, snow white in colour.

"Attou, Himitsusori."

Her body became engulfed in a white aura as her sword changed to its Shikai form. She looked on at her Captain.

"Now focus." Suì-Fēng shouted from across the courtyard. The majority of Squad 2 looked on from a safe distance. Shizuka took a deep breath and urged the rays to emerge from her sword. _Come on...paralysis. Just do what I want, this one time..._

Suì-Fēng made no attempt to block or evade as the rays reached her. She felt them sink through her body and continue past her. She waited for a second before trying to move towards Shizuka. She couldn't move, she was paralysed. She tried to smirk towards Shizuka as if to say well done but was unable to. Lieutenant Ōmaeda acknowledged and shouted towards the green haired Shinigami.

"Ok, that's enough Baisotei. Stand down."

Shizuka couldn't force the rays to return or her Zanpakuto to return to it's unreleased state. Her Captain began to move but instantly held her hand to her eyes and stumbled around recklessly.

"I can't see! Ōmaeda stop her!"

He began to approach Shizuka, accompanied by some backup, but then the rays stopped. Shizuka dropped her sword and fell down to one knee, breathing heavily. Ōmaeda and others helped their Captain and made sure she was ok. Shizuka's friend and sister of Lieutenant Matsumoto, Ritsuko helped her up and brushed her down.

"Are you okay?" The blonde girl asked. Shizuka nodded.

"Still haven't got full control over your Shikai yet then huh?" Suì-Fēng said, walking over towards her. "It's been 3 years since that friend of yours died. That's over 1000 days, 1000 times I've trained with you. What is holding you back?" The Captain didn't give Shizuka a chance to answer. "You need to sort this out and fast. I can't wait forever and until you do, you are a danger to us all on the battlefield."

Ōmaeda followed his superior as they left the courtyard. Shizuka and Ritsuko watched them as they both disappeared with Shunpo.

"You sure you're alright?" Ritsuko asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just...I'm fed up of trying to control this. I'm starting to think I'll never be able to." Shizuka replied as she picked up her sword and sheathed it.

"You just have to give it some more time. Captain Suì-Fēng made it sound much worse than it is. She expects you to get over a friend's death as if it is no big deal. It could take 10 or 20 more years, perhaps more, for you to get closure on this. But the point is, time heals all wounds. Eventually you'll come to terms with everything and you'll gain control." Ritsuko smiled encouragingly at Shizuka and placed her hand on the shorter Shinigami's shoulder. "Trust me, okay."

Shizuka smiled back as they headed to their living quarters.

* * *

><p>Shizuka lied on her bed, resting her hands behind her head.<p>

_I really thought I was beginning to gain control. I thought I was starting to get over Akio's death... I still think of her quite often though... Maybe there is another reason for my lack of control?_

She shook her head and sighed. Ritsuko came and stood over Shizuka's bed.

"What's wrong? Still thinking about earlier? Listen to me, don't get too worked up about it."

"Sorry. It's hard not to think about it." Shizuka closed her eyes. "Maybe there is a way I can train harder to gain control faster?"

"What are you talking about? There aren't many people who train harder than Captain Suì-Fēng. Besides, it's not a matter of training. It's a matter of time, like I said before." Ritsuko sat on Shizuka's bed, beside her. The green haired Shinigami was not really listening.

"Maybe I should see if Captain Zaraki will train with me...I'm sure he'll be able to bring out my power and force me to control it..."

Ritsuko grabbed Shizuka's hand and held it tight. "Don't start acting crazy now. You _really_ don't want to be anywhere near that guy." She smiled. "You just need something to take your mind off of this. Why don't you see if there are any new assignments we can take care of?"

Shizuka sat up and ran her hand through her hair. Her auburn eyes glinted as she looked to a window. "Yeah. I guess that would be for the best."

* * *

><p>Shizuka knocked on the door and entered her Captain's quarters. Suì-Fēng sat at her desk sorting through some files as Ōmaeda stood by her side.<p>

"What is it Baisotei? What do you want?" The Captain's voice seemed more frustrated and negative than usual.

"Captain, I was wondering if-"

Suì-Fēng slammed her fist down on the desk.

"Why do _we_ have to clean up after everyone else?" She shouted at her Lieutenant. Shizuka could tell her Captain was referring to the files she was holding.

"Captain, may I ask what the files are regarding?"

Suì-Fēng looked at Shizuka and sighed before replying. "There was a faily large jailbreak late last night. A bunch of fugitives have managed to escape. Most of them are pretty harmless and not worth the effort, yet we've been giving the orders to round them all up again." She started throwing the papers onto her desk, they were detailed reports on the escaped criminals. "This guy beat a few guys up whilst he was drunk...this other idiot _accidently_ blew a hole in his neighbour's wall...this guy stole some food, why do we even have to bother with these people?"

Shizuka looked at the reports as they slid across her Captain's desk, carefully examining each one as best as she could. Each report came with a photo of the fugitive, most of them looked like your typical criminal. Shizuka didn't recognise any of them but then one file suddenly got her attention. She caught it as it was about to fall off the desk.

"Captain, I would like to track down and recapture this fugitive."

"Go ahead," Suì-Fēng shrugged, "we need to catch all of them anyway. I don't care which order we get them back."

"I would like to recapture this one alone Captain. I can start searching immediately."

Suì-Fēng nodded hesitantly as Shizuka began making her way towards the door.

"Do you know that guy? Who is he?" Her Captain asked. Shizuka stopped momentarily and looked down at the ground before answering.

"He's the man who murdered my mother."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And so begins this new arc. I'd also like to point out that Shizuka's Shikai release "Attou, Himitsusori" translates to _"Overwhelm, Secret Curve."_


	6. Will of the Heart

**VI - Will of the Heart**

She was only young, and asleep when her mother was killed. She awoke soon after and caught a glimpse of the man responsible as he fleed from her father. A few years later, Shizuka witnessed the man get captured by Yoruichi and the other members of the Stealth Force at that time. She recognised him instantly and his face had been forever etched into her memory since.

Shizuka looked intensely at the picture in the file. Looking at the most recent picture of the man in the file, his appearance hadn't changed. Scruffy brown hair and dark, cold eyes. Short facial hair surrounding his mouth and jawline. The very sight of him made Shizuka begin to boil up with rage.

A shocked expression remained stretched across the faces of Captain Suì-Fēng and her Lieutenant after what they had just been told. Suì-Fēng stood up from her desk and gave Shizuka a concerned look.

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea for you to capture this fugitive then."

"I'm doing this." Shizuka replied, refusing to back down. She held the file tightly in her hand.

"You'll do as I say." The Captain walked up to Shizuka and snatched the papers from her hand. "We need these criminals back alive. Something tells me that keeping this guy alive aren't a part of you intentions." Shizuka gritted her teeth and her Captain placed the file in her desk and walked back over with another file. "Here, take this on. Capture this guy, bring him back. Alive. I'll have somebody else deal with the other case."

The younger Shinigami decided to stay quiet. She knew there was no point trying to argue with her superior, it would only land her in trouble. She took the alternative file from Suì-Fēng's hands and stormed out of her office.

* * *

><p>Shizuka entered her living quarters, still in a bad mood. She didn't say a word as her friend, Ritsuko, looked at her from across the room. The blonde Shinigami could sense something was wrong and upsetting Shizuka. She walked over to talk to her.<p>

"What's wrong?"

Shizuka didn't reply. Ritsuko thought it was best not to try and force anything out of her friend. She was never too talkative and was clearly stressed. The blonde Shinigami noticed the file Shizuka was holding.

"Oh you got us a case to work on? Great! That's just what we need. I was starting to get bored here." She smiled and gently took the file from Shizuka. "We have to find and bring back this guy? He's kinda overweight...this shouldn't be a problem. Still...bit of a boring case, couldn't you get us one that was a bit more exci-" She stopped herself before she agitated Shizuka. "Ah nevermind, work is work. When do you want to start searching?"

Shizuka slumped onto her bed and shrugged. "Tonight?" She turned on her side, clearly not wanting to discuss the matter any further. She didn't mean 'Tonight' as a suggestion. It was when they were going to start.

_Probably for the best._ Ritsuko thought to herself. _She has other things on her mind right now, that's plain to see. She'll be more focussed once she has had some rest and time to think._ Ritsuko smiled before leaving Shizuka to herself. Both women decided to get some sleep before they took on their assignment later on.

* * *

><p>Nightfall came as Ritsuko and Shizuka stood outside the gates to the Seireitei. It was a quiet evening, the type that Shizuka enjoyed. However, it was awfully similar to the night that Akio died and Shizuka became aware of this fairly quickly. She didn't say anything, not wanting to worry or distract her friend. Ritsuko checked her Zanpakuto was firmly in place in it's sheeth, the black spider web style tsuba glowed in the moonlight. The yellow and black hilt was almost illuminescent, her Zanpakuto was most definitely a powerful one. Shizuka always felt safe around Ritsuko for this reason. The younger Shinigami knew she could look after herself fine, she was almost a master in Shunpo and, even without her Shikai, her sword fighting capabilities were of a high standard. Still, she enjoyed having her friend with her, watching her back.<p>

Ritsuko looked over, "Ready?" she asked. Shizuka nodded and they headed off into the night.

They weren't given any clues as to where they could find the criminal they were after, so they decided they should just check each of the Rukongai districts one by one. It would take time but they had to do it. Shizuka couldn't help but see the similarities between this night and the night of Akio's death again. She tried to push the thoughts of out her mind and concentrated on the task at hand.

After a couple of hours, they still hadn't located the guy. They began asking locals if they had spotted him anywhere, again the night started to eerily feel like the one Shizuka was trying to forget about. She felt nauseous and thought about telling Ritsuko that she wanted to head back. _We can look again tomorrow._ She thought to herself before shaking her head. _No. I have to focus. I need to get past this._

"Shizuka!" Ritsuko yelled.

"What is it?" She replied as she made her way over.

"This man says he saw the guy earlier today, in the next district." Ritsuko replied.

Shizuka nodded and thanked the man for his help. The Shinigami lept off into the distance, making their way to the neighbouring district as fast as they could. The jumped from rooftop to rooftop, scanning the streets carefully. Then something caught Shizuka's eye, she stopped, causing Ritsuko to stop ahead of her.

"What is it?" Ritsuko asked.

"...I think we should split up. You take that row of streets, I'm gonna go down here. Maybe we can cut him off somewhere."

Ritsuko nodded and ran on ahead. Shizuka turned her head and jumped to the ground into the street. She had seen him. She was certain it was him. And it wasn't the guy she had been assigned. She could recognise that scruffy brown hair anywhere. Not wanting to waste any more time, Shizuka sprinted down the street, she could almost feel where the guy was, allowing her instincts to guide her. Then she caught sight of him again, just off in the distance, he had ran into a narrow alleyway. Shizuka carried on in pursuit turning into the same alleyway, it was empty apart from the man and herself. The brown haired man had almost reached the next street, Shizuka felt the anger grow within her, forcing herself to move her legs faster than she thought imaginable. Thats when she saw a shadow dropping down from above, not only that, but she felt the presence, felt the strong spritiual pressure. She couldn't make out the figure as it came to the ground, luring in darkness, cutting her off from the man she so desperately wanted to catch. Shizuka gasped as the stranger emerged from the shadows, dressed in a Shinigami outfit, carrying a Zanpakuto, his burly figure and sandy hair. It was her father, Keisuke.

"D...Dad?" She stuttered. He stayed silent. "W-what are you doing here? Why are in you wearing-" Her father placed his finger on his daughter's lips.

"Shizuka. Please stop." His voice was so different to what Shizuka was used to hearing, it was so serious and concerned. "I'm sorry there is so much I haven't told you about. I've been trying to protect you...maybe I was just trying to protect myself."

Shizuka was speechless, still in shock from what she was seeing.

"I know this must be hard for you to take in. But...I know why you are out here. I know who is out here. You can't let this be your burden. I won't let you. I won't have my daughter carry any kind of guilt about her mother's death. That burden is one which I can, and always will do."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **It was at this point that I realised that there are quite a few similarites between Shizuka and Ichigo . But their histories are completely different, as are their powers and personalities. ^_^ I hope you are enjoying.


End file.
